Uluru has its counterparts in the likes of Kata Tjuta, the Bungle Bungle Range, Wave Rock, Kakadu National Park, the Twelve Apostles, the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Mount Kosciuszko and Lake Hillier. One will not find them all to be physical doppelgangers of Uluru but they have a way of impressing with their scale or visual drama, their remoteness, what they mean culturally or geologically.
Then there is Uluru, or Ayers Rock, which defies easy comparison. The one piece of sandstone puts up 348 metres over the plain for a circumference of some 9.4 kilometres. Yet you can get that sense of being dwarfed by something of greater age and size at other Australian sites. For practical planning, Uluru visit timing tips can be useful. I am Clara Whitmore and when it comes to making plans for these kinds of trips I like to have a paper map to hand and put in realistic driving times, leaving myself open to an impromptu stop by the road.
Australian Landmarks At A Glance
It is a matter of what you are after. You could go to Kata Tjuta for a Red Centre landmark, or the Bungle Bungle for its domes, the Twelve Apostles to change your scenery or Kakadu to see the wetlands and Indigenous culture in the round.
Do not think of Australia as a place to “pop over” to the next thing unless you are in the mood to use up fuel and become very familiar with servo coffee.
| Landmark | Nearest Main Base | What Makes It Similar | Practical Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kata Tjuta | Yulara | Cultural significance, desert setting and sheer scale | Walks of an easy to moderate nature |
| Bungle Bungle Range | Halls Creek | Geology and the fact it is remote | Moderate; roads are rough |
| Wave Rock | Hyden | A rock formation you do not see elsewhere in Australia | Short walks, easy access |
| Kata Tjuta | Jabiru or Cooinda | Aboriginal heritage and the vastness of it | Depends on the season |
| Twelve Apostles | Port Campbell | Spectacle on a large scale | Viewing platform is easily had |
| Great Barrier Reef | Cairns, Port Douglas etc. | Of global importance and natural magnitude | At the mercy of the water and weather |
| Daintree Rainforest | Cape Tribulation | Cultural ties and an old landscape | From easy to hard going |
| Mount Kosciuszko | Thredbo / Charlotte Pass | An open, high country view | Strenuous at times |
| Lake Hillier | Esperance (or a cruise) | Its colour and how far out of the way it is | Restricted access |
Beyond Uluru: See Kata Tjuta
The most apt natural equivalent is Kata Tjuta. Where Uluru is a monolith, the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta make for a more rugged affair in the Red Centre. At 546 metres the highest point is above Uluru.
There is the Valley of the Winds Walk for the main event, 7.4 kilometres of uneven ground and steps, some of it exposed. Do not make of it a quick photo op, put in a few hours.
Your Day in the Red Centre
Most will be based in Yulara from where sealed roads take you to the national park. A car of your own is fine for flexibility, or let a guide worry about the navigation and the heat and timing of the sunrise. As for accommodation, tours and the like, verify the official details before you book.
And the heat will catch you unawares. What was a reasonable walk in the cool of the morning is another matter by afternoon. Have your hat and water and heed any signs. The cooler months are preferable for a visit but do not let the desert lull you into thinking it is always warm, pack for cold nights.
The Bungle Bungle Range
In Western Australia you will come across one of the more singular rock formations. The sandstone domes of the Bungle Bungle are striped in black and orange in a pattern that seems almost contrived until you consider the millions of years of erosion.
Purnululu National Park is seasonal and off the beaten track. The way in from the Great Northern Highway is slow and corrugated. Most will need a four-wheel-drive to get there under their own steam, others opt for a tour or a flight.
Rougher Going
Allow hours to put in between the entrance and the walking areas given the state of the road and the odd creek to cross. Patience is called for on the Great Northern Highway too. Make allowances for the size of large vehicles and never take it for granted that you can see around a bend.
Cathedral Gorge and Echidna Chasm are two of the more popular walks, yet one will not do for the other. Cathedral Gorge is an expansive, walled in amphitheatre; Echidna Chasm is quite different, narrowing off in a dramatic fashion and at the mercy of the weather, light and access. For those on their own, have recovery gear, water and provisions to hand.
A place for the seasoned road traveller with a taste for the remoteness of camping and what the conditions may bring. If reliable phone service or sealed roads and a short day out are priorities, this is not the spot.
Walk Across Wave Rock
There is no mistaking the granite formation at Wave Rock outside Hyden in Western Australia, put there by the ocean in the shape of a wave. The 15 metre high curve runs some 110 metres. Not as big as Uluru but every bit as well known.
From Perth it is a 340 km drive east. You could make it a long day’s work if you are up early and in no particular hurry to be back from the site, but an overnight is preferable, all the more so when you have Hippo’s Yawn and other local sights to put in.
What The Photos Do Not Show
To look at a picture Wave Rock seems all alone, in fact there are walkways and facilities in evidence, not to mention attractions close by. Families and others for whom easy access is a consideration will find that to their advantage, though it has a way of being busier than the outback would have you believe.
Then there is the sun. Exposed rock affords little in the way of shade and gets hot. Put on some enclosed footwear, keep your water handy and do not venture past the signs. With only a small town to call base, one has to plan for food and fuel, especially when opening hours are not in force.
Kakadu’s Living Country
If one is looking for an Uluru equivalent, Kakadu National Park has its own answer. What gives it power is not a single formation but the heritage of the Aboriginal people, the escarpments, wildlife, rock shelters and water on a grand scale. Some 20,000 square kilometres of parkland with its share of cultural sites of consequence.
At the Ubirr and Burrungkuy galleries you are in the presence of law and story, not just scenery. Mind the marked paths, heeding any direction from the locals and abiding by the rules on photography. Such respect should be part of the itinerary, not an afterthought.
The Seasons In Kakadu
The difference between the wet and dry in Kakadu is considerable. Wet season brings rain that will shut down roads and tracks and render crossings hazardous with floodwater. Forecasts and notices from the park need checking before you go, given the prospect of cyclones in the north from November to April.
Dry season is easier to get about in, albeit with accommodation in short supply and the likes of the popular sites seeing crowds. A guide can be of service to put the culture in perspective and point out wildlife, as well as steer you clear of any road your vehicle is not suited to.
As for crocodiles, do not be casual about the edge of a billabong or swim where you are not meant to. It is much more convenient to be croc-wise and leave the warning signs be than to require rescuing.
The Twelve Apostles Coast
Offshore on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria are the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles, eroded by the sea over time. There are not as many as the moniker implies but they are still among Australia’s most iconic landmarks.
A car park puts the viewing platforms within easy reach, so there is no need for any hard walking to see a major natural feature. Expect wind and rain on the coast come sunrise or late afternoon; a waterproof is a good idea whatever the forecast.
Time On The Coast
It can be done in a day to put in a run from Melbourne to the Apostles and back, but you will be hard pressed to fit in the nearby stops. Port Campbell or Apollo Bay are better options for a less hurried pace.
Not to make the mistake of thinking the Apostles are the sum total of what is on offer. The context is in the beaches, the short walks and the limestone cliffs along the coastal road. Keep to legal places to pull over and give unstable edges of the cliff a wide berth.
Reef And Rainforest
In Far North Queensland the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef are a pairing of two very large experiences. One has the coral and the marine environment to be had in a boat on the reef, the other the rivers and old plant communities of the Daintree’s thick rainforest.
Reef expeditions are as likely to put down roots in Cairns or Port Douglas. But one should allow some leeway in the itinerary since the weather is a factor in sea conditions, visibility and even cancellations. As for snorkelling, it is not the preserve of the confident swimmer; use the flotation gear on hand, heed what the crew says and be open about any medical issues.
Your Wet Tropics Base
To get to the Daintree you will have to make the road north of Port Douglas, contending with the river crossing. The ferry is at the mercy of local conditions and there can be queues when it is busy. Cape Tribulation does not have much in the way of services, so stock up on fuel, water and provisions in the larger towns first.
Heavy rain has a way of making the rainforest tracks treacherous underfoot. Put on something with a good grip and take insect repellent for the mozzies; do not go near wildlife. Then there is the heat in the tropics which can exhaust you on what was meant to be a short walk, or an unannounced shower to make a nice track into a muddy affair.
Mount Kosciuszko
For a change of scale, Mount Kosciuszko is the place to be. New South Wales’ alpine country in the Kosciuszko National Park is home to the 2,228 metre peak, the highest in Australia.
From Thredbo the summit is most easily reached by a well made track, and in season there is a chairlift. It is still a few hours’ work that demands you are fit and ready for the weather to turn. In winter you may have to contend with snow and wind and little in the way of visibility.
Other Wide Landscapes
Those who want to put in the physical effort and like cold air and open ridgelines will find Mount Kosciuszko to their liking, but do not expect a flat and mild promenade. Bushfires can put a stop to access in the warmer part of the year and ice and snow are a risk in winter.
Lake Hillier is perhaps Australia’s best known natural feature for its colouring, found on Middle Island off Esperance. You will generally see it from the air or on a sanctioned tour, access being what it is. A photograph is no licence to make your way to the shore; the rules of conservation come first.
Making Your Itinerary Work
It would be folly to think a single trip can encompass all these landmarks. The distances in Australia preclude it; put the Red Centre, Kimberley, Far North Queensland, Victoria and the Snowy Mountains together and you will be crammed in with sardines at airports and in cars.
Plan by region. Make a Top End of it with Kakadu and the wetlands, or in Queensland couple the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef. Western Australia calls for its own plans for Wave Rock, Lake Hillier and the Bungle Bungles. The Twelve Apostles are to be had on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, while Uluru and Kata Tjuta go hand in hand in the Red Centre.
One Day Only
- Pick a landmark you can drive to in reasonable time.
- Do your homework on the weather, park alerts and road and access conditions and make sure you have fuel.
- Get there early and do the main viewing or walking, leaving yourself plenty of time to get back.
- Have a paper map and a fully charged phone as well as food, water and sun protection.
Wave Rock, the Twelve Apostles or a site in Kakadu are ideal for a day. One does not do the Bungle Bungle Range, all of the Daintree or a number of Kata Tjuta walks any justice in an insensible manner.
Travel with respect and safety in mind
Do not put these landmarks in the same category. Some are of considerable Aboriginal heritage or are sacred to Indigenous Australians. Heed access restrictions, stick to what is marked and do not handle rock art; employ local nomenclature as you should. Leave stones, shells and plants where they are, they are not for taking home.
A word on preparation: see to it that you have the right permits and have looked over official park alerts for weather, fire rules and the state of the roads. In the more isolated parts there will be long hauls to the next fuel stop, little in the way of facilities and poor reception. Put your route in front of someone, make sure your tyres are up to pressure and do not put your faith in one digital map alone. Take on board more water than you think necessary. And heed any bushfire or wet season closures. For swimming, approved areas are the order of the day. Show due consideration for private property, wildlife and cultural sites and have a buffer of food and fuel when out in the country.
- Take on board more water than you think necessary.
- Heed any bushfire or wet season closures.
- For swimming, approved areas are the order of the day.
- Show due consideration for private property, wildlife and cultural sites.
- Have a buffer of food and fuel when out in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Travellers are wont to ask the following when they put Uluru up against other Australian landmarks. The answers below are straightforward but given that conditions are fluid, it is best to verify before you set off.
What is comparable to Uluru?
In terms of size, geology and the fact it is in the Red Centre and holds cultural weight, Kata Tjuta is the nearest thing. If it is Australian rock formations you are after, the Wave Rock and Bungle Bungle Range are good options too.
Which are the most famous?
You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has not heard of the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House, the Twelve Apostles, Kakadu National Park, the Daintree Rainforest, the Bungle Bungles or Uluru. But fame is no guarantee of easy access, so give the journey as much scrutiny as the destination.
And the finest natural landmark?
No objective way to tell. The Great Barrier Reef is for marine life and water, the Twelve Apostles for some coastal drama within reach, Kakadu for its landscape and Aboriginal ties, while Uluru is for those who want desert scale and symbolism.
Are there any Aboriginal sites of a sacred nature?
Yes, at Uluru and Kata Tjuta and in sections of Kakadu, you will find places of import to Aboriginal law and story. A guided tour is advisable if a greater appreciation of the culture is desired, otherwise respect the restricted zones and local direction.
How many days for a visit to Uluru?
Plan on two full days minimum to put in some walking and take in the light at Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Three is a better pace and allows for a late tour or inclement weather. Have a look at the seasonal heat and times for sunrise and sunset before you put your schedule in stone.
Go for scale
The top Australian landmarks need not be Uluru lookalikes. They are the ones that compel you to put things in perspective, to accept that access and distance are part and parcel of it. Pick a region and be realistic about travel time; conservation and Indigenous culture should be central to the visit not an afterthought. You will form a better recollection from paying attention, whether you are in the wetlands of Kakadu, at the coast with the Twelve Apostles or by Kata Tjuta. Something a brochure cannot put across.